


A Fight to Win and a War to End

by DragonRiderSisters



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Based on a scene from the Bonus Episode of Season 2, Betrayal, Drama, Gun fights, M/M, Multi, Non-Graphic Violence, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Rivaling Gangs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-05-15 17:23:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19300321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonRiderSisters/pseuds/DragonRiderSisters
Summary: RivalingGang!AU of the water gun fight scene in Free! Eternal Summer OVA episode 14. Two teams. Both must defeat the other in order to finally end the war. Through heartache, regrets, tough choices, anger, and anguish, each member must do what he can to end it once and for all... no matter what...even if it means defeating their former best friends.Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net on December 21st, 2018.





	A Fight to Win and a War to End

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> So I wrote this story just at the end of last year, and it was actually my first 'Free!' story ever. I had just finished seasons 1 and 2 (still working on 3 lol, but I've been pretty busy), and I immediately fell in love with this series with all its amazing characters and the amazing story and visuals. I also use to swim, so watching this anime had been such an enjoyable experience and a great trip down memory lane.
> 
> Of course, when speaking about the anime, I must bring up the tragic event that was the arson attack on Kyoto Animation Studios. On July 18th, 2019, the studio in Kyoto, Japan was attacked, killing up to 34 people. No words can describe how horrendous this event was, and my thoughts and prayers go to those that've survived and the families of the victims, who've all done nothing but bring us amazing stories and beautiful pieces of art that is their animes. RIP to the 34 that've died, and let us all hope that the studio will recover from this tragic loss.
> 
> I'll be honest, a part of me isn't so sure if it's really appropriate to be reposting this story so soon after the tragedy. But, after a bit of deliberation, I've decided I will. Mostly because this scene had brought me and so many others so much joy, and even though this story is just a re-imagining of the water gun fight scene, it was a lot of fun to write. And I hope that this story can help all those that are reading remember more of these amazing moments that the studio has given us, especially for 'Free!'. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing. All rights to characters and properties belong to KyoAni, and no profit is being made. This is just a work of fanfiction. 
> 
> With all that said and done, I hope you will enjoy.

_Three..._

_Two…_

_One…_

START!

"If we want to take them down, we have to be smart," Rei mutters to his teammates as he leans against a wall, his fingers stroking his chin in a thoughtful manner, "A traditional strategy would be to divide and conquer, but…considering our limited resources…"

"We strike first and quick," Rin declares confidently from his seat on the stairs. Leaning back, he flashes a shark-toothed grin at Rei, who smirks back.

"My thoughts exactly! They won't see that coming!"

"Guys, I'm getting nervous all of a sudden. I've never done this before! I'm…" Ai says anxiously, clutching his shirt over his rapidly beating heart.

"Hey, relax," Makoto mutters lowly, patting the younger boy beside him yet giving him a stern look, "This isn't a game, this is  _war_. You need to stay relax and have a clear head," his face then softens, and he gives the nervous boy a small smile, "Besides, we got your back. You can count on all of us."

The grey-haired boy lets out a deep breath and returns the smile, flushing slightly as he sees both Rin and Rei's comforting smiles as well, "Right. And don't worry, I got your backs as well."

 _'That's good,'_  Makoto thinks to himself,  _'It's nice still having some people you can trust.'_  His normally serene face then darkens as thoughts of  _him_  enters his mind. He shakes his head though and looks forward, trying to forget those piercing blue eyes that could see into his very soul and that he still shamefully dreams of every night.

Rin sees Makoto thinking to himself and sighs. He knows. And he understands that feeling a little too well.

"Alright, guys, no use sitting around any longer. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can end this," Rin says with pure determination as he stands up. With a hand on his hips and a gun in his hand, he yells, "Let's go men!"

"Yea!" They all shout as well, each grabbing their own weapon of choice. While Rin and Rei went for the more standard handguns, Makoto chose a bigger one, with a bigger munition storage capability. And Ai went for the gun with a rotating barrel.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other side…

"Sooo...what's the plan guys?" Nagisa bends over, asking his teammates, who are all kneeling on the ground, "They'll be coming for us soon."

Haru hums in contemplation, "You guys can do whatever you want. So long as we win."

Sousuke scowls, "We're not going to win like that. Come on man, use your fucking brain."

"If you want a plan so badly, then why don't you come up with one. I don't care," Haru huffs in annoyance, glaring at the older teen.

Sousuke's scowl deepens, "I would, but I doubt you'll listen." He returns Haru's glare with equal intensity.

"Come on guys!" Nagisa tries to diffuse the tension, standing in between the team's older members. It saddens him to see the two not get along. They are supposed to be a team, and they only have each other to rely on now. "Remember, we're on the same team! And we need to work together if we're gonna survive."

Both Haru and Sousuke continue to glower at each other with murder in their eyes. Sure, they're on the same side, but it's more out of consequence and not so much a choice. If Haru had his way, he would have left ages ago, and if Sousuke didn't need Haru, he would never have welcomed the broody teen to join his team. Grunting, both turn to look away and stare at the ground instead.

"If you ask me, I think that we should just run around and shoot them if we see them," Momo speaks up for the first time that meeting, leaning back on his arms, "I don't like the fact that we're staying in one place for so long."

After a moment of contemplation, Sousuke is about to declare a plan for a course of action when, out of the corner of his eye, he spots the shine of a gun, "GET DOWN!"

Sousuke pulls Nagisa down towards him, shielding him with his body from the incoming attacks while running towards some bushes for cover. Haru quickly pulls a shocked Momo with him as well, and the group hides behind a small bush as the other team steps forward into view.

"So, you decided to meet here, just as I thought you would Sousuke," Rin says with a chuckle, "Face it, I know you all too well. And you're so predictable."

Haru can feel Sousuke tense up right beside him. But he doesn't give it much thought as his eyes fall onto the tall, brown-haired teen wielding a pretty big gun. He stiffens as well but keeps himself steady, ready to run or shoot.

"And now, you're all gonna die!" Rin proclaims with a toothy, sadistic smirk as he and his teammates line up their guns and fire.

Quickly, Sousuke, Haru, Nagisa, and Momo all got up and run as fast as they can to a nearby cluster of trees. Haru dives for cover behind one tree just as some shots strike the trunk and quickly turns to return fire. The others also managed to hide behind some trees and bushes and are also doing their best to shoot back.

Momo tries to find an opening, but as soon as his head is exposed, he is immediately shot at. "Crap!" he exclaims, ducking and hiding.

Sousuke grunts and waits out the onslaught of attacks, while Nagisa attempts to fire from the bushes.

"It all ends here for you guys!" Rin yells almost gleefully.

As he, Makoto, and Rei continue their attack, Ai begins to panic and lose control of his gun. Screaming, he begins to fire all over the place, even at his own teammates. While Makoto dives out of the way towards the trees, Rei and Rin are the unfortunate targets for the panicking teen.

"Ugh! Hey! Ai!" Rin screams as he and Rei try their best to dodge the incoming attacks at them. Rei backpedals and would have hit the ground hard if Makoto hadn't dived in to catch him. When Ai shifted his angle, Rin took the chance to grab the gun and stop Ai.

During all the confusion, Sousuke was able to crawl towards Haru, and the two decided with a nod to go when they have the chance.

With a jump, Haru bursts through the bushes and makes a run for it, followed by Sousuke. What Haru didn't realize was that Makoto would be right there, and as he rushes by the shocked teen, their eyes meet for a split moment that felt like an eternity. Green eyes meet blue. Haru narrows his eyes, while Makoto's grow larger. It has been so long, yet the feeling is still there. But just as quickly as it started, the moment ended, and Haru runs away with Sousuke close behind.

"Hey! Wait!" Makoto, once he snaps out of his stupor, makes a mad dash to try to catch up. He holds his gun up and has it locked onto Haru's retreating back, but he just…

…couldn't pull the trigger.

"Fuck," he curses, but decides to continue his pursuit.

Back at the site of the first battle, Rin realizes that two of the opposing team's members have just run off with Makoto trailing them, "Ugh! They're getting away!"

"Rin! You go and help Makoto!" Ai insists once he manages to calm down.

Rin looks over with concern, but both Rei and Ai give him confident smirks, "Yea, we can handle the rest of the team. Makoto will need your help," Rei adds with a stern look, implying he knows about both his and Haru's past.

Rin grunts, "It's risky but okay. I trust you guys. Good luck!" With those parting words, Rin runs off in the same direction as Makoto.

Meanwhile, Momo ducks back behind his bush when he sees the leader of the other team leave, but two of the opposing teammates remain.  _'Fuck! I'm so fucked! How am I gonna get out of here?'_  Turning to the side, he believes he sees Nagisa crouching behind another bush across from him; however, to get to his friend, he'd have to run across an opening with no protection.

"Oh, will you look at that. Is that a big stag beetle over here?! It would be a shame if someone were to step on it. Ooh, and it looks like it could win in quite a few fights!" Ai exclaims loudly, while also aiming his gun at the bush he knows Momo is hiding behind,  _'Come out Momo, I know that you can't resist.'_

However, boisterous laughter can be heard from the bushes, "You think I'm an idiot Nitori, hehe. I'm the one who taught you all about stag beetles, and you seem to have forgotten that they are all nocturnal! So FUCK YOU!"

Ai gasps in shock at the fact that Momo saw through his ruse. And taking advantage of the momentary confusion, Momo leaps out of the bushes and somersaults over to the hidden Nagisa, and the two share a high-five.

Rei sighs and then steps up, "It looks like it's my turn."

Nagisa hears this and immediately becomes rigid at the smooth sound of Rei's voice. Oh, he knows about Rei persuasive abilities and grunts, "Be careful Momo. Whatever you do, don't believe a single thing he says. You cannot trust him to keep his word."

Momo glances down at the older teen, "Sounds like you two have some history."

The blonde gives the younger red-head a look, "You can say that."

"Momo! I have a proposition!" Rei begins, adjusting his glasses, "You see, you're not that hard a person to read. So, after analyzing your history and studying your preferences, I have a deal that I know you can't resist." With a flash of his glasses, and a devilish smirk, Rei announces, "Surrender your gun and rejoin our side, and I'll get you a date with Gou!"

"WHAT?!" Momo, Nagisa, and Ai exclaim at the same time.

"Rei, are you insane," Ai whispers harshly to his ally, "Rin is going to kill you if he finds out you are using his sister like that. Besides, Momo won't fall for it!"

But Rei simply smirks, "So, what's it going to be Momo? I know you can't resist," he says the last part almost seductively.

Nagisa grunts and readies his gun,  _'Oh, why does he have to be so damn good?! But Momo…'_  As soon as the thought enters his mind, he sees his teammate shakily get to his feet, his gun hanging loosely in his hand.

Rei's eyes gleam,  _'NOW!'_  and he fires.

Reacting quickly, Nagisa pulls Momo back down just as the shot flies past the redhead's exposed head, "Momo! What are you doing?!"

"You...you don't get it Nagisa," the younger teen says despondently, his voice wavering ever so slightly, "I loved her! When I left to join you guys, I thought I'd never get to see her again! You don't know how it feels to force yourself to leave someone you want to be with more than anything in the world!"

"I do Momo!" Nagisa exclaims, but not too loudly, a small teardrop forming at the corner of his eye, "But we can't just surrender ourselves like this! Besides, do you think Rei or Rin for that matter are just going to let you anywhere near Gou once you give up?!"

Rei, hearing this, inhales sharply, but a cool smile graces his face, "My my Nagisa, it looks like you've gotten sharper. But you're right! A simple deception… _perhaps_!"

Nagisa and Momo grunt, but it is the blonde who whispers, "We have to get out of here, on a count to three….1…2…3!"

Both stand up from their spot and fire directly at the surprised Ai and Rei, who had to quickly dodge the attacks. With their opponents flustered, Nagisa and Momo make a run for it in the opposite direction.

Rei looks up just in time to see Nagisa make a turn around a corner. He sighs in disappointment and helps Ai up. It was a good thing that neither of them were hit.

* * *

Back with Makoto and Rin, who had finally been able to catch up to the taller teen...

"Darn it! It looks like we lost them," Makoto grimaces in annoyance, scanning his surroundings for any signs of their former teammates.

Rin shares a similar scowl. "I think we should split up for now to cover more ground. It's not ideal, but we don't have many other choices."

Makoto nods in agreement, "Right. And knowing Haru and Sousuke, they probably split up as well."

The team leader nods, but a look of slight worry crosses his features amidst the raging determination, and Makoto is quick to spot it, "Rin?"

Realizing that he has been caught, Rin tries to put on a reassuring smile, "It's nothing. This all might be to our advantage. Sousuke doesn't really have a good sense of direction on his own, so he should be an easy target."

The brown-haired teen nods, but he still looks to the maroon-head in concern, "I can take care of Sousuke…I know that…"

"Whatever," is the other teen's quick, sharp reply, "Whoever finds whoever first will deal with them."

With that, Rin walks away in one direction as Makoto watches on. Sighing, he begins trekking in the opposite direction towards some buildings on the campus.

* * *

With eyes sharp on his surroundings, Sousuke wanders into an empty courtyard, slightly confused as to where he is.  _'Shit! Probably shouldn't have split with Nanase.'_  Then again, if he spends only a few more moments with the quiet, moody teen, he would probably just shoot him himself, regardless if they're on the same team against Rin.

 _'Rin…'_  he shakes his head. No, he shouldn't let his mind wander to places it shouldn't. They started this war, now he's going to finish it.

"Sousuke! There you are!" Turning around, the tall teen is met with an old face that he hasn't seen in years.

"Kisumi?" The aforementioned teen walks up, grabs Sousuke by the shoulders, and pulls him into a tight embrace.

"Well, yea! Who else do you think I am?" the flamboyant teen gives Sousuke a tight squeeze before letting him go, giving him an affectionate look, "It's been so long, how have you been?"

"I…I…I've been well. Listen Kisumi, you shouldn't…"

"Well, that's a relief!" Kisumi interjects, ignoring Sousuke's warning and talking rapidly, "I had gotten so worried when you guys stopped getting in touch with me. And since I moved back here, I'd thought I'd visit you and Rin and the rest of the gang." At this, Sousuke bristles and turns to look away. "Hey, what's with that scary look on your face," Kisumi asks innocently.

 _'Of course, he doesn't know. He left before the split,'_  Sousuke thinks to himself, narrowing his eyes. Memories of what seems like a past life rush into his mind, and he shuts his eyes to forget the laughters and group hugs and to stop seeing bright maroon hair and amber eyes.

"Hey…Sousuke?" Kisumi asks again, concern lacing his voice.

Sousuke snaps open his eyes and gazes at Kisumi with a serious expression, and his face darkens, "Look, you can't be here. And unless you want to fucking die, I…"

Suddenly, he sees a glint from a gun aimed at him, and before Kisumi can say another word, the taller teen grabs him and holds him flushed to his chest, one of his hands clasped over Kisumi's mouth, and the other firmly holding his own gun to his chest. Sousuke places his back against a pillar just as shots hit the pillar and where he once stood.

"Not another word," Sousuke whispers softly into the flushed teen's ear as he twists his arm around the pillar to return fire. But then his gun stops firing, "Shit!" Another shot at the pillar forces the large teen to duck back behind the pillar for cover.

"Sorry Sousuke," Makoto announces his presence. He steps out from behind his own pillar, the wind ruffling his brown, spiky hair, and his eyes gleam in the sunlight, "But you're through."

Sousuke smirks upon hearing the familiar voice, "Well well Makoto, I must say I'm impressed. Didn't think you'd have it in you."

Kisumi then yanks Sousuke's hand away from his mouth, "Wait…is that Makoto? What's going on here?!"

Sousuke half-whispers and half-yells into the caught boy's ear, "Quiet! Not another word!" and places his hand back over Kisumi, pulling the blushing boy even closer.

Makoto scowls and then smirks, "Well, things have changed since you left. If you're impressed now, wait till you see me shoot with a gun," he taunts as he raises his gun higher.

Cursing his luck, Sousuke breaths and wracks his brain think up of a plan. He has nothing to shoot with and has Kisumi in his arms. "I don't think you'd want to shoot Makoto. We can talk this out. This war shouldn't have involved you."

Makoto's smirk falls, and a frown mars his face. He shouts, "I'm involved in this war the moment you walked out on us and took my friends with you, you traitor!"

The bigger teen can hear Makoto's footsteps coming closer, and sweat begins to pour down his head, "If you're talking about Haru, I had nothing to do with that! He left on his own!"

"He joined you when he could have stayed with me," Makoto's voice is now deathly low, losing all signs of warmth.

Sousuke groans, but then a thought comes to mind. Slowly, he brings his lips to Kisumi's ear, "I'm sorry. But you really shouldn't have come back."

Just then, Makoto makes the leap and aims his gun at Sousuke's head, "This war is OVER!"

The shot is fired right at Sousuke, but at the last moment, he throws Kisumi in the way, and the shot hits him in the shoulder.

"Huh!?" Makoto exclaims in horror at seeing who he hit, "Kisumi!?" As the boy begins to fall over, Makoto catches him and quickly props him against the pillar.

Without a moment of hesitation, Sousuke makes a run for it.  _'Wish you didn't have to get involved Kisumi. Both you and Makoto.'_  With a firm shake of his head, Sousuke runs faster, leaving the two teens behind.

Makoto practically growls at seeing Sousuke disappear into the distance. A pained groan from Kisumi quickly draws his attention to the boy lying next to him, "Makoto, what is happening?" he asks weakly, his purple eyes barely open.

The teen just grunts and makes to stand up. " _War_ ," is all he said before he dashed off to try to catch Sousuke and avenge his fallen friend. "Help is on the way! Don't worry!" Makoto makes sure to yell back at Kisumi, even though it is shredding him up inside to abandon his old friend.

* * *

Rin is just wandering around at this point, not quite sure where to even look next for members of the other team or even his own team. He decided then to double back around. When he reaches the courtyard, he sees a very familiar figure slumped next to a pillar.

"Oh my god! Kisumi!" Rin exclaims as he runs to and crouches in front of the groaning boy. The pink-haired boy shakily looks up and squints his eyes, his vision slowly clearing up.

"R…Rin…?" he mutters weakly.

Rin shushes him and uses his shirt to wipe the other teen's eyes, "Take it easy. What happened?"

"I…I…" he coughs and tries to get up, "I…bumped into Sousuke, but then Makoto tried…to shoot him, and he...used me as a shie…"

All of a sudden, from the corner of his eye, Rin sees movement and the telltale shine of a gun. With quick reflexes, he is able to barely dodge out of the way just in time as a shot brushes past his face and hits Kisumi instead.

"Kisumi!" Rin exclaims, "NO!" He bends over the teen but knows that there is nothing else he can do. With a growl, Rin whips his head around at the pillar to see the gun just get out of view, his eyes nearly glowing a dangerous red. "Haru!"

Hearing this, the other teen decides to make a break for it, cursing the fact that he had missed his target. Rin grumbles and gets to his feet, but before he leaves, he gives Kisumi a parting word, "Don't worry, I will avenge you! I will make him pay!"

And he charges after the retreating back of his former friend.

* * *

Once he managed to place some distance between himself and Makoto, Sousuke was able to find a spot to reload and continued his hunt for the other team.  _'Honestly, if only I know where Nanase, Momo, or Nagisa went.'_

What the teen doesn't realize is that he is about to trip a hidden and very cliché trap.

 _'That's right Sousuke,'_  Rei thinks quietly to himself behind a tree, smirking at his own cleverness,  _'Keep on walking. Once you hit the wire, it'll be all over for you.'_

Rei leans forward and carefully follows Sousuke's path, his fists clench as the older teen draws nearer to the string, "That's it…"

Sousuke is only a meter away…

"Just a little bit more…"

Sousuke has one more step…

Rei's face then lights up with glee, "You're done, Yamazaki."

And he steps over the line.

"What?!" Rei barely has time to process what just happened as shots hit the tree he was hiding behind.

"Hehe. There you are Ryugazaki," the baritone voice resonates through the space between the two, "You have nowhere to run, so if I were you, I'd tread carefully unless you want to trigger one of your own traps."

 _'Crap!'_  Rei curses at himself when he realizes he may have gone a bit overboard with the traps. Looking back, he also realizes that he has surrounded himself in a web of trigger lines, all pulled taut and ready to end him.

Chuckling, he couldn't help but smile at the former second in command, "Very clever Sousuke. You were able to see through my plan, so well done. But then again, I shouldn't be too surprised."

Sousuke smirks as well, "Nagisa has told me all about you when he joined me. Warned me of your strategic battle plans and theories. I know how you work."

"Well, then you must know that that is why Rin has chosen  _me_ ," Rei's eyes glint and his smirk broadens, "to be the new second in command."

Sousuke stops in his tracks, face contorted in hurt and betrayal.  _'No! I shouldn't feel this way! I left that all behind! Rin made his choice! Now, I'll make mine.'_  With a growl, Sousuke continues to creep forward towards the hidden boy. But then he stops, seeing something in the grass behind him. He inhales lightly and then looks up to spot Momo head to the main festival, followed close behind by a very not-so-hidden Ai.

Meanwhile, Rei is listening very carefully for the bigger teen's footsteps as they draw nearer. If he is going to survive this, he'll have to be smart.  _'I only have one chance.'_  His mind then goes into computer-mode,  _'The target is approximately 45_ _° behind me. I'll need to move 40 cm north and then jump out another 2 m, placing him at only 10_ _° from my new position. The ambush would either allow me for an open shot or he backs up into one of my traps. Brilliant.'_

With a plan in mind, Rei crouches into a ready position and jumps, "Checkmate!" only to see no one there. "What?! Where did he go?!"

* * *

Having grown tired of running for what felt like hours, Momo decided to try hiding in the nearby festival. He knows that Haru and Sousuke wouldn't approve since this can put innocent bystanders at risk, but at least he can hide in the crowds.

What Momo doesn't realize is that Ai had been following him for the last few minutes, having seen the younger teen creep into the festival.  _'That's right Momo. Keep on walking. You will be the first one to go down.'_

After a few minutes of walking from stall to stall, the crowd parts, and Momo is greeted by a sight he'd never thought he'd see again. "Gou!" Momo exclaims joyfully as he pushes through the crowd to get to the girl of his dreams.

Hearing her name, the said long, maroon-haired girl turns slowly and sees the familiar face approach, "Oh my!"

When Momo stops in front of her, he couldn't stop smiling, "Gou! I…I…I've missed you so much!"

Gou, still stunned at seeing Momo once again, asks, "Is that really you? What are you doing here Momo?"

This makes the said young man suddenly burst into tears, and he grabs the young girl's hands in his, "You…you remember me? After all this time?"

"Of course, Momo," Gou smiles kindly, but then her face becomes serious, "But you shouldn't be here! If my brother or anyone else from his team sees you…!"

"I don't care Gou," Momo exclaims firmly, using one hand to brush one strand of her hair behind her ear tenderly, "I don't care about this war or the teams! I just want to be with you! I know I left, but I'm here now! And we can run away together! You and me!"

This causes both Gou and Ai to inhale sharply/exclaim in shock, with the former blushing a bright red. Shaking his head to snap himself out of it, Ai raises his gun and fires.

Only for his shot to brush by Momo and hit…

…Gou.

She yelps and begins to fall over from the force of the shot.

Momo cries out in shock and horror and reaches out to catch her, "Gou!"

 _'What have I done?!'_  Ai screams at himself as he watches Momo catch Gou and lay her on the ground, doing everything he can to help her while also trying to not panic.  _'Now's my chance! I'm sorry to have to use you like this Gou, but it's the only way and I have to take my shot!'_

Leveling the barrel of his gun to Momo's back, Ai shuts his eyes to block out the younger teen's cries and fires.

Momo barely has a moment to gasp before he falls over, a shocked expression paints his features but before he could collapse on top of Gou, he pushes himself to the side to land next to her.

Ai gasps for breath at what he has done, looking at Momo and then at Gou, who is still shaking and in shock at what just happened.

As he backs away from the scene, he bumps into someone and freezes, a shiver going up and down my spine, "I'm sorry!"

"Hey Ai," a dark voice booms in his ear, sending another wave of shivers going up and down his spine. Slowly, the young teen looks up at the looming figure over him, shaking like a leaf, "You're going to pay for what you did to Gou."

The grey-haired teen sighs and resigns to his fate as he feels the barrel of a gun press to his back. Sousuke doesn't even hesitate and lets the teen fall to the ground.

Slowly walking over to Gou, he takes off his jacket and wraps it around her shaking form. As her vision clears, Gou finds herself looking into bright, teal eyes, eyes that she hasn't seen in years, "S…Sou…Sousuke?"

He shushes her and picks her up, "I'm sorry. Let's get you to safety."

Gou resigns herself to being carried by her brother's former friend. Shakily, she buries her face into the jacket, shivering all the way, "So…so cold."

Sousuke's response is to hold her closer.

* * *

After he lost track of Sousuke,  _'Seriously, for such a large person, he can sure move around fast,'_  Rei has found himself wandering behind a couple of buildings, searching for anyone.

After a few minutes, Rei believes he spots someone walking around a corner. His suspicion rises, and he decides to follow. Moving as quickly and quietly as possible, Rei follows the person, hugging against the wall as he does. When he reaches the corner and looks around, he sees a flash of golden hair and smirks.

_'I've got you now Nagisa.'_

Rei continues the pursuit into the building, going down a darkened hallway. Meanwhile, Rin spots his teammate enter the building from a distance and decides to follow, in case he needs back-up. In the dark hallway, which mostly leads to dark storage rooms, Rei scans his surroundings, while holding his gun close to him, his finger on the trigger and ready at a moments notice. He then sees a room with light streaming out into the dark hallway at a distance and a shadow moving and disappearing into the room.

Rei's smirk turns to a light chuckle,  _'My, what have we here?'_  He creeps closer to the door, his gun at the ready.  _'It's over Nagisa.'_  As he reaches the doorframe, he braces himself and jumps, aiming his gun into the bright room.

"Rei! Behind you!" Rin shouts too late.

Because instantaneously, from behind Rei, the doors burst open, and a shot rings through the air, striking Rei from behind, who could only let out a feeble wheeze of breath. The impact of the shot sends the teen, to Rin's horror, to the ground, and his glasses fly off, landing with a  _clatter_  by his fallen body.

From the doors, out steps Nagisa, holding one of his twin guns with both hands. With a whip of his head to get his bangs out of his eyes, Nagisa gasps with tears in his eyes, "I'm sorry Rei, there was no other way."

"Rei!" Rin's screams rip through the air, followed by shot after shot from the distraught leader. Taking that as his cue, Nagisa spares one last look at his old friend who he just shot, before running away and dodging all the shots coming at him. All the while a sob wracks his body and blurs his vision.

Rin runs as fast as he could, firing almost blindly as Nagisa runs away. But as soon as he nears Rei's body, he drops his gun and lands on his knees hard, gently cupping the fallen teen's shoulders and neck and pulling him up so that he is facing him.

"Rei," Rin pleas as tears begin pouring down from his eyes, "Come on buddy, GET UP! Please GET UP! Don't leave me!"

"I'm sorry...Rin," Rei mumbles weakly as he struggles to keep his eyes open, "I failed you," a cough rips from his mouth and seems to sap every bit of strength he has left.

"No, you didn't Rei," Rin says as softly as he could, wiping the corner of Rei's mouth and holding in his tears, "Come on! Don't give up. There's still time. We can end this together."

Rei just gives him a sad look, "No. There's no time. Please Rin, don't let my death be in vain!" He grimaces in pain, and Rin looks away at his friend's agony, "Rin…win this war…and tell our  _story_ …"

With a stuttering breath, Rei collapses in Rin's arms.

"Rei! NO!" Rin screams to the heavens as he clutches Rei, "Mark my words! I will make you pay for what you've done you villain! Nagisa! Sousuke! Momo! Haru! You will all pay!" Gently, he lays Rei down, grabs his gun, and staggers to his feet, "I promise you Rei…Kisumi…Ai…I won't stop…I will  _avenge_  all of you!"

And he runs out into the great unknown, desperate to find his last teammate and destroy the ones he once considered his friends.

* * *

The quietness of the peaceful, beautiful mid-afternoon is shattered by a series of shots being fired in quick succession. After roaming the grounds for what felt like ages, Makoto and Haru stumbled upon each other, and it didn't take long for shots to fire between the two. Running while training their guns on each other, the two former friends are relentless, firing shot after shot, determined to finish things once and for all.

Upon reaching some trees, Makoto and Haru each dived behind one across from each other to catch their breaths. Haru looks down at his gun and curses. Feeling his spare in his back pocket, Haru thinks of a quick, crude plan,  _'He would never fall for it, but still…'_

Just as Makoto peeks out from behind the tree, bracing himself for any incoming shots, he sees a gun and tenses, but the gun is held limply in its owner's slender hands.

"I'm all out!" Haru's smooth voice rings through the silent air. The dark-haired teen then steps out from behind the tree, exposing himself fully with his arms raised in surrender, "It looks like you beat me. So come out!"

Makoto merely chuckles, which Haru can hear quite well, "Haru. Do you really think so lowly of me? After all this time? I know that you have a second gun hidden on you."

Haru smirks, "You're clever Makoto," he then pulls out his second gun, aiming it just as the other teen steps out from behind the tree, "I knew that you wouldn't fall for a stupid trick like that."

Makoto also makes sure that his gun is aimed perfectly at Haru's chest and smirks, "I know every trick you can think of even before they pop into your head." Makoto then bravely takes a step forward, causing Haru to take a step back. This continues until Haru has his back firmly pressed against a chain-linked fence.

"Hm…you always did have a way of reading me, even when others couldn't," Haru says calmly still, unwavering, even with his back against a wall, "Well then Makoto, come and get me." And his blue eyes shimmer in the sunlight, showing Makoto the pure fire and determination under them.

The wind picks up and whips their hair and shirts, yet their stances are firm, and their guns remained fixed on each other. Makoto and Haru stare intently at each other. None willing to make a move. Their confident smirks soon turn as they stare into each other's eyes. Memories and long-suppressed emotions role through each of them as they both feel their barriers slowly crumbling to dust. Almost as if their souls know that they are allowed to be vulnerable with each other, that they did not have to hide anything from the other.

Makoto is the first to grunt, "It didn't have to end like this," Haru doesn't reply, but his face does darken, "You didn't have to  _leave_." Still, the other boy doesn't say anything in return. "God damn it Haru! Say something!" Makoto yells, shocking the other teen as tears begin to form in his eyes.

A breath of silence fills the air before Haru speaks up, ever so quietly, "You know me Makoto."

The said teen grunts and narrows his eyes, "I thought I did. I thought I knew my best friend. I thought I knew the boy I grew up with. I thought I knew the one who's always been with me through thick and thin. I thought I knew the one who'd never  _leave_  my side!" Makoto punctuates each biting sentence with a small step closer to Haru, causing him to become on edge and raise his gun higher, aiming it more squarely at Makoto's head.

"Just shut up! You don't get it!" Haru screams, stopping Makoto in his tracks, "I…I had to leave!"

"No, you didn't! You didn't have to follow Sousuke!"

"Goddamnit Makoto! It was never about Sousuke! It was YOU!"

Makoto is stunned speechless, his gun almost wavering ever so slightly in his hands, "Me?" he gasps out, gaping like a fish out of water.

Having realized his words, Haru clamps up but refuses to look away or lower his firearm.

Meanwhile, Makoto's tears have fallen, and he is gasping for breath. Quietly, he asks, "Haru? What did I do to make you hate me? Was it because…?"

His blue eyes shimmer with unshed tears, memories of that night and many more flooded his brain to the point that he feels like he's drowning, "Makoto…" he whispers gently, but then mentally shakes his head, "You wouldn't understand."

"Then help me understand!" Makoto implores, this time stunning Haru, "Please Haru! Don't you get it?! When you left, I…I…Fuck! I've never felt so  _alone_ ," Makoto's voice tapers off in the end and he chokes down a sob, "You were everything to me."

A tear falls from Haru's eyes, and he softly says "I thought I was doing what's best for us…what's best for  _you_ …"

"You're what's best for me!" Makoto interrupts Haru fiercely, his tearful eyes never leaving Haru's stricken face.

At this point, Haru's raised arm is shaking, and he's about to lose his composure. He wants to say something,  _anything_ , but what words can make up for everything that's happened? What words can mend what he feels has been broken beyond repair? What words can make up for all the time that they've lost because of him…because he feared his own feelings?

"Please Haru," Makoto begs, tears blurring his vision, yet his damn gun still points at his friend, "Come back. I…I just want to be with you again."

"I…" Haru feels his arm shake and slowly fall to his side.

_Whoosh…_

A shot was fired, and Haru gasps, his heart stuttered as soon as the world around him stopped moving.

Makoto lets out one last strained breath before falling to his knees. But before he can hit the ground, Haru catches him by the shoulders, and turns him over, "Makoto?"

There was no response. Makoto's once vibrant, green eyes are now dull. He was gone before he even landed in Haru's arms.

"Makoto!" Haru screams as his tears rain down upon his friend. Clutching his body, Haru cries out in agony, and he presses his head against Makoto's cold shoulder. Apologies and pleas pour out from Haru's broken heart but remain unheard, muffled by Makoto's jacket.

From the bushes, Nagisa too has tears falling as he lowers his gun, "I'm sorry…Mako."

Knowing of the risks of staying in one place for too long, Nagisa pushes himself out of the bushes and runs up to Haru, "Haru! Come on, we have to go!" When the older teen refuses to even look up to face Nagisa, the younger teen forcibly grabs Haru's hand and yanks him up to his feet, looking away as Makoto's body falls to the ground. "Haru!" Nagisa then slaps Haru's cheek to get him to snap out of it. "Haru! We have to leave! NOW!" Not even waiting for Haru to reply, Nagisa tugs the older teen by his arm and pulls him with him to run away from the scene, "We need to regroup with Sousuke! Rin is the only one left! If we get him, it's over!"

Haru, all the while, feels numb as he stares at the ground rushing by him and at the gun in his hands.  _'This war…is this war even fucking worth it anymore!?'_

"I'm sorry Haru," Nagisa pants as he continues to run, almost as if he could read Haru's mind, "But we've gone too far into this war. It's too late to change anything now."

As if lightning has struck him, Haru's eyes sharpen, and he yanks his hand out of Nagisa's, causing the younger boy to lurch forward and his foot catches a hidden wire. "Motherfu…" Nagisa didn't even get to finish before the trap eliminates him from the war.

Haru's eyes widen in untold horror at the scene in front of him. "Nagisa…" he almost wants to retch at the sight, but he shuts his eyes and runs, tears blurring his vision and trailing behind him as he runs.  _'No…it can't end like this! Haru focus! Nagisa is right! We're too far in! This war must end! One way or another…"_

* * *

Against the backdrop of a setting sun, sounds of an ongoing firefight fill the air, as another pair of former friends fire upon each other with untold fury. Sousuke is using a bush as cover, while Rin is using a pillar, each filled with pure, untainted desire to finally end this war and each other.

Rin was running around when he finally bumped into Sousuke, who'd left the festival earlier in order to draw the war away from any innocent bystanders. Filled with righteous fury over what the dark-haired teen did to Kisumi, Rin did not hesitate to fire upon his former friend and second-in-command.

Ducking for cover as a few well-aimed shots hit the pillar where he once stood, Rin chuckles when he hears the telltale  _clicks_  of an empty gun. "Well well Sousuke. It looks like you're all out of luck."

The said teen grimaces at his empty gun and throws it to the ground. With a confident smirk, Rin steps out from his cover and begins making his way towards the bush, where he knows his prey is hiding.

"You really shouldn't have left," Rin taunts as he draws nearer, "Could've avoided all of this you know."

Sousuke can feel sweat dripping down his forehead as the footsteps draw nearer. "No. None of this could've been avoided. And you know it."

Rin scowls and aims his gun at the bush, "Like hell it wouldn't. You just had to be a stubborn ass! Couldn't have let things go! Instead, you chose to leave and drag some of our friends with you. Well, guess what? Some of them are  _gone_  because of  _you_!"

"They chose to join me!" Sousuke exclaims, all the while trying to ignore the sting to his heart.

"Well then," Rin answers darkly, his eyes having lost all their vibrancy, "They paid their price. And now, it's your turn."

Sousuke grunts but realizes that there is nothing else he can do. He is trapped. Anywhere he runs, he'll be exposed for Rin to fire at him.  _'Is this really how it will end?'_  Then again, looking back at the past, he realized he didn't have many regrets. He always did what he thought was right. He followed his heart, even when it meant leaving his friends behind...

A tear forms at the thought though.

He did have one big regret.

With a heavy sigh, Sousuke closes his eyes and awaits his fate. If anything, he almost preferred this. He'd much rather be taken out by Rin than by anyone else.  _'Ironic, isn't it?'_ he thinks to himself with a dark chuckle.

"Yamazaki!" Sousuke's eyes snap open, and he sees Haru run towards him and kicks something at him, "Use this!"

The object was another gun. This one full and ready for battle. With no hesitation, Sousuke grabs the gun, stands up, and fires right at Rin, who jumps back in surprise.

Rin dodges the attacks and ducks back behind the pillar as shots strike it. Panting, he curses at the both of them. He's on his own then, so with practiced ease, he sneaks around as Haru meets up with Sousuke.

Panting from all the running that he has done, Haru makes his way to Sousuke, and the two share a nod. Standing back to back, the two hold their guns up, guarding each other's back.

"I guess I owe you one Nanase," Sousuke's deep voice breaks through the empty silence.

"Don't…thank me yet," Haru pants, keeping his eyes peeled for their last foe.

"I'm guessing you're the last one?"

After a moment of silence, Haru answers, and it's not something Sousuke was hoping to hear, "Yea. Rin is also the only one left."

Haru can feel the taller teen stiffen, "So…it's almost over then," he whispers.

The smaller teen nods, but he has a feeling Sousuke knows his response.

After another breath of tense silence, a strong gust of wind blows their hair and clothes, sending a small chill down their spines, but their stance remained unwavering.

"Do you regret joining me?" Sousuke suddenly asks, once again breaking the tense silence.

Haru grimaces and has to forcibly keep his tears in, "It's too late for regrets."

"You could've stayed. I didn't ask any of you…"

"Why I left is none of your concern," Haru stops him harshly, "What's done is done."

Sousuke inhales sharply, "Listen…I'm…"

"Don't! If you say that, then you regret your actions! And that would make all of this worthless!" Haru snaps, "We're ending this war! You got that!"

Sousuke gapes but then smirks, "You're right Nanase. I don't have any regrets."

And oh, how Haru wishes he could truthfully say the same, but he knows in his soul that they're both lying, "Neither do I."

Their attention is then immediately taken by some rustling in the nearby bush. With a firm nod, they creep closer to the bush, readying their guns.

"On three…1…2…3!" and the two bust through the bush, only to come face to face with a…

…cat.

Both teens stare at the cat in confusion when suddenly, Sousuke sees Rin jumping out from his hiding spot, his gun aimed directly at Haru.

Sousuke must make a choice. And goddamnit! He's not going to add one more regret to his list, "Haru GET DOWN!" And he pushes the startled teen away.

Haru looks back as soon as he feels the impact and sees Sousuke's strained face as he shoves him away. His eyes widen when he sees the shot as it strikes the bigger teen in the chest. He lets out a choked yelp as he hits the ground, dropping his gun along the way. Looking back up, Haru sees Sousuke stand stock-still, still in shock as he stared at his own chest.

"Yamazaki?"

Rin is also stunned when his shot ends up hitting Sousuke instead to Haru. But instead of feeling delight, raw fury and pure anguish consume him, and he drops his gun.

Sousuke looks up at Rin in front of him and then at Haru to his side. A cough and he mutters, "I guess we're even now. End this…ugh…Haru." And he then collapses to the ground.

Rin lets out a cry of anguish, "Sousuke!" and he falls to his knees. Why is he feeling this way?! Isn't this what he wanted all along?! He betrayed him! Why?! And Rin lets out another scream to the red sky.

Both Rin and Haru are panting for breath, neither noticing the other as they both wallow in their grief. Then, they turned their heads to look at the other, and with a flash, both grabbed their guns, got back on their feet, and aimed their guns directly at each other.

Rin scowls, "It's just you and me now," he mutters darkly. Haru doesn't say anything, but he does step closer to Rin as the other does the same. "Who's going to shoot first? Who's going to end the war?"

Both teens stand tall, neither willing to break away from the other's gaze. The wind picks up and the leaves brush by them as they fly in the wind. But their guns remain firmly aimed at the other. As they gaze into each other's eyes, blue eyes on amber eyes, memories of their early years fill their weary minds.

Laughter…

Their families…

Their friends…

They began as just a group of guys who had no one else to turn to. They started with something pure. Something exciting…something fun. But then came the mistakes…the compromises…things left unsaid and unheard.

And slowly, they drifted apart. Until one fight...one last mistake...was all it took to break everything to shambles.

Tears were dried up and gone, ragged breathing had calmed to small, steady breaths, and hearts now beat calmly as one. There's no more fear or tension. This is the end. And the end is a lot calmer than either teen had previously thought.

With narrowed eyes, their fingers tighten over their triggers.

And without any hesitation, they fire at the same time. Their shots fly through the air between them, danced around the waves of the other, and rush to their targets.

 _'This is it!'_  Rin thinks to himself, his eyes trained on the shot coming at him,  _'This is the end of the line! Ai! Rei! Makoto! I have avenged you all!'_  His eyes harden, and he is ready to face the end head-on, but…

_"Rin…win this war…and tell our story…"_

_'No, I will survive this war Rei! For all of you!'_  And he jumps to the side, dodging the attack.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Haru stands frozen in place, his gun dropped to the ground,  _'So this is the end. The war is finally over.'_  His eyes line up with the shot coming at him, and he lets out a breath, one image filling his mind,  _'Don't fight it. Let it go. The war ends here. And I will be with_ you _once again…'_

Haru doesn't avoid the shot.

* * *

With a splash, the water washes over Haru's flush features and he sighs in utter joy and delight.

"Ugh! Don't look so happy about it you jerk!" Rin screeches angrily as he throws his water gun at Haru's head, though it only bounces off said boy's head with a  _thud_.

Loud cheers erupt from his side, and, suddenly, Rin is engulfed in a large group hug with Makoto, Rei, and Ai.

"We won!" they all cheer.

But the calm, serene look on Haru's face kinda puts a damper on Rin's victory, and both he and Sousuke, who'd just gotten up from the ground, look at the happy teen with deadpan expressions.

"Why is it that I don't feel like a winner?" Rin asks despondently. Sousuke chuckles and pats his friend's back comfortingly, while Nagisa and Momo cry over their lost, standing by the still smiling Haru.

"At least the Larping made this game all the more interesting," Nagisa brightens up and smiles, causing everyone else to laugh and smile as well at all the ridiculous things they did and said. Their laughter fills the air as the group of friends come together as one and make their way back to the real world.

**Author's Note:**

> Gotcha didn't I? 😉
> 
> While writing this story, I realized that I just couldn't go through with it all the way. So I added the happier ending, which, while super corny, was one that I definitely prefer. 
> 
> Now, a few things before I go. I know that I am going to get some reviews that say I just rewrote the scene and that I should've written my own work instead. But that's kinda the idea of this story. I loved the water gun fight scene, and I wanted to put my own twists to it. The goal of this story is to share my vision of how I thought the scene would go if the guys imagined themselves in some kind of mafia/gang story as they were in the water gun fight, much like how Rei and Rin acted all dramatic like during the actual scene.
> 
> I am not making a profit from this story, and all characters and rights belong to their respective owners. This is just a rewrite of the scene with my own twists and lines. I tried my best to not completely copy and paste from the original and to be as respectful as I can to the source material.
> 
> With that said, I hope that you all enjoyed this story. Please let me know your thoughts or questions down below. Thanks for reading!
> 
> ~Peace!


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